Repentance: definition
Hi Friends! I know today many teach that "to repent" means simply turning from unbelief in Jesus to turning TO belief in Him. Is that all there is to it? Is there more than that? Can a person claim the Christian title & live any way he chooses? What will he face if he does? Let's examine this together.
According to these Scriptures following, repentance means turning from unbelief to belief in Jesus (a saving kind of belief, not just head knowledge) but repentance ALSO means turning AWAY from purposely sinning against the Lord. The Bible also calls it “iniquity”, “lawlessness”, and “workers of Unrighteousness”.
Luke 13:3b (NIV) "But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Mark 6:12 (TEB) So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins.
Ezekiel 18:23-31 (NIV) "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?" declares the Sovereign Lord. "Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?... Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die... Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel?"
Ezekiel 33:11 (NIV) ... "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!..."
Rom 12:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Acts 3:19 (NIV) "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
Christian friends listen up!!! Perhaps if we memorize only one Scripture verse this week, maybe this should be the one?!! 2 Tim 2:19 (NIV) "The Lord knows those who are his," and "everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
These are some of the works of the flesh that we are to turn away (“repent”) from…. The Bible says the people who purposely/habitually do these things are not headed to heaven!!
1 Cor 6: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. {key word: “were”}
And from Gal 5: 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Revelation 22: 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
It's an easy rhyme to remember: Liars go to the fires! {eiks!!}
Rev. 9:20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
V 21: And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Very, very specifically, we are told of the kinds of sins that people did not (will not, during the Trib.) repent OF!! ~ note, it is NOT ONLY a “turning FROM unbelief in Jesus TO belief in Jesus”!! ~ but also very much includes TURN AWAY FROM purposely sinning! …. And it gives the list….. of what everyone is expected to turn from!!
You know what ~ it’s ultimately 100% about pleasing God with our lives. IF we love Him, we will want to please Him! ~ [and thus, willingly, obediently follow His commandments, Scripture says] and with the Holy Spirit directing our lives, we will get on the path of loving the things He loves, and hating the things He hates!
Basically it’s like this, when people call on Jesus for salvation, then the very core (soul) of our lives is to be handed over to His LORDSHIP [repenting of going our own selfish way; and being redeemed from yielding to corrupt power]. Those who do not do this and are thus, not “born again” ~ well, it will not fare well for them on Judgment Day! Sure they know about Jesus, they “believe in Him”, they have even spent their earthly lives producing miracles in His name! But… the biggest mistake of their lives!! ~ they did not LEAVE {turn from} their wicked ways!
And thus will hear: Matt 7: 22Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? 23And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].
So, the Roadmap to heaven: Go to The cross, TURN RIGHT, and stay on the path!! :)
Now wouldn't it be just awesome if we saw each other some time before the 11th of this month??!! {a lot of watchers are "suspiciously" looking at that date as a great possibility & being the children of light, we are to know the times!} We are not in darkness that that day may overtake us.
May it be so, Lord! Amen & Maranatha! ~ and may He bless & direct our lives as we study His Word! His Word, after all, will remain FOREVER!! :) Be blessed! Reva
www.Blessed-Hope.com